U.S. House, New York 3rd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in New York's 3rd Congressional District?
Tom Suozzi has the strongest record in New York's 3rd Congressional District. Tom Suozzi scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Mike LiPetri at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tom Suozzi's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Mike LiPetri's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Mike LiPetri
On the ballot as Michael J. LiPetri Jr
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Tom Suozzi
On the ballot as Thomas R. Suozzi
63 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 69
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Mike LiPetri
- On the record2023-07
The New York Times reported his name was on a nondisclosure agreement in a crypto deal George Santos pitched to a donor; he downplayed his role, and no charge named him.
Tom Suozzi
- Mark against2022-03-03
Filed periodic transaction reports years past the 45-day STOCK Act deadline, including 31 trades from 2017 to 2019 reported March 3, 2022; the Ethics Committee dismissed the OCE referral as not knowing or willful.
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20020552, House Committee on Ethics, July 29, 2022, Fortune, July 4, 2025, NPR (via NHPR), Sept. 22, 2021
- Mark against2021-12-08
The FEC assessed a $13,525 civil penalty on Suozzi for Congress for 2020 48-hour contribution notices; the committee challenged it, the penalty was upheld and paid in full.
Source: FEC Administrative Fine #4224
- On the record2026-01
Was one of seven Democrats to vote for the DHS funding bill, then said he took responsibility for constituents' anger while his office defended the vote.
Source: Queens Eagle, Jan. 27, 2026
- On the record2024-02-14
Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act, which passed 251 to 170, when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 66, 2024, Ballotpedia, Tom Suozzi
- On the record2022-01-10
PolitiFact rated Pants on Fire his January 2022 statement that Kathy Hochul was an interim governor.
Source: PolitiFact, Jan. 10, 2022
- Credit2024-12
Sponsored the Securing our Northern Border Act, whose provisions were enacted in the fiscal 2025 defense authorization.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Mike LiPetri. House candidate financial disclosure filed March 24, 2026 and FEC reports on file through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or other official finding found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10074567, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Tom Suozzi. Filed periodic transaction reports years late: a March 2022 report listed 31 trades from 2017 to 2019. The Ethics Committee dismissed the OCE referral as not knowing or willful; reported by Business Insider and Fortune (E16).
Sources: House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20020552, House Committee on Ethics, July 29, 2022, Fortune, July 4, 2025, NPR (via NHPR), Sept. 22, 2021
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act and the Israel Security Assistance Support Act in 2024 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay, and was one of seven Democrats to vote for the January 2026 DHS funding bill.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 66, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 217, 2024, Queens Eagle, Jan. 27, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. After criticism of his January 2026 DHS funding vote, issued a public statement taking responsibility, while his office defended the vote in a letter.
Source: Queens Eagle, Jan. 27, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Mike LiPetri. Attorney and New York State Assembly member 2019 to 2021 with no formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael LiPetri
Tom Suozzi. Glen Cove mayor, Nassau County executive and House member with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found; the 2022 Ethics Committee matter was dismissed (see Record).
Source: Ballotpedia, Tom Suozzi
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Mike LiPetri. Sworn Assembly member 2019 to 2021; no official finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael LiPetri
Tom Suozzi. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors and was not among the January 2017 objectors. No misuse-of-office finding.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Mike LiPetri. New York State Assembly member for District 9, 2019 to 2021; attorney.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael LiPetri
Tom Suozzi. U.S. representative 2017 to 2022 and since February 2024; Nassau County executive 2002 to 2009 and Glen Cove mayor 1994 to 2001.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Mike LiPetri. Campaign issue pages state positions on affordability, taxes and policing, in general terms.
Source: Campaign site
Tom Suozzi. Serves on the Ways and Means Committee (Oversight and Tax subcommittees) and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: GovTrack, Thomas Suozzi
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Mike LiPetri. One channel documented: campaign issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, Michael LiPetri
Tom Suozzi. Two channels documented: an e-newsletter and issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Mike LiPetri. Says he was born and raised in Farmingdale and represented Assembly District 9 on Long Island. FEC by-state totals show about 40 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, Michael LiPetri, FEC contribution totals by state
Tom Suozzi. Glen Cove mayor from 1994 and Nassau County executive 2002 to 2009, with district offices in Glen Cove and Douglaston. FEC by-state totals show about 57 percent of itemized individual contributions from New York.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Tom Suozzi, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Mike LiPetri. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Tom Suozzi. The FEC assessed a $13,525 civil penalty on Suozzi for Congress in 2021 for 2020 48-hour contribution notices, paid in full (AF 4224).
Source: FEC Administrative Fine #4224
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.03 in the 118th Congress (partial term) against a benchmark of 0.53, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his Securing our Northern Border Act was enacted through the fiscal 2025 defense authorization.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 10265 (118th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. Missed 96 of 4,300 roll call votes, 2.2 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. District offices in Glen Cove and Douglaston and help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.320075 in the 117th Congress, ranked 78, in the top quarter; he was not in the House in 2023 and is not in the latest posted scores.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, 117th Congress House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Mike LiPetri. No public record found.
Tom Suozzi. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in New York's 3rd Congressional District?
Tom Suozzi has the strongest record in New York's 3rd Congressional District. Tom Suozzi scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Mike LiPetri at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tom Suozzi's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Mike LiPetri's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in New York's 3rd Congressional District in 2026?
Mike LiPetri (Republican), Tom Suozzi (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Mike LiPetri a good candidate for Congress?
Mike LiPetri scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Tom Suozzi a good candidate for Congress?
Tom Suozzi scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every New York race scored, and the New York 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.